About Us
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The Shaylyn Group | Back to top
Shaylyn is a voluntary community organization, company limited by guarantee and a true social economy business.
The group was established by Ballinamore natives Jane, Martha and Laura Gilheaney in 2000 to promote cultural, area and social development through the provision of quality performance and development opportunities for talented musicians, singers and dancers of the region beyond the classroom and competition experience.
The aim of Shaylyn is to actively enable the local community to meet social, cultural and economic need through the development of a natural resource i.e. Irish Dance, Music & Song. Furthermore Shaylyn aim to increase national value, practice and appreciation of our traditional performance arts and to promote excellence in the practice of these.
Shaylyn is a business that combines social entrepreneurial skill with a strong commercial aim that is characteristic of the Social Economy as a whole. We seek to succeed as a business by establishing a market share and generating income while emphasising the long-term benefits for employees, consumers and the community.
Shaylyn The Show
A two hour production Shaylyn tells the story of Irish Dance through the ages with the best of traditional Irish dancers, singers and musicians. Demonstrating how the events of history have impacted on and shaped our music, song and dance and our own changing attitudes to these traditions, Shaylyn is also a tribute to our ancestors who struggled and fought to keep the culture alive.
The show attempts to illustrate the continuing evolution of Irish Dance in particular, from earliest beginnings in ancient Ireland to the position it holds today.
Shaylyn displays all that is traditionally associated with Irish Dance, rhythm, speed, discipline, rigidity and restraint with more modern as well as ancient influences. It demonstrates the links between the three through history, the ever changing influence of the modern, the traditional foundations of history and the romantic legacy of the ancient.
You must see this exhilarating two hour show from the most rural heart of Ireland, dances set to soul stirring music, songs that illustrate the changing moods of times past and a story to make you proud!
Give Shaylyn two hours and they will give you 4000 years of music, song and dance in Ireland!
The Shaylyn Traditional Arts Centre | Back to top
The Shaylyn Centre established in January 2007 thanks to funding support from Interreg IIIA and Border Action, is based on High St. Ballinamore, Co. Leitrim
The Centre initially brought together two unique and exciting projects based on Irish Dance & Music.
Activities at the centre through these two projects included:
The Centre was launched on the 30th of March 2007 by Colin Dunne at the Ramada Hotel Drumshanbo, Co Leitrim.
A new project to be funded by the International Fund for Ireland is due to start in the Autumn 2008. Refer to our latest news page for more information.
Details on additional future projects/plans coming soon!
The Centre is based in a beautiful new building in Ballinamore and comprises three fully kitted dance/music studios with breathtaking views of the Sliabh an Iarainn mountains and surrounding countryside plus canteen and toilet facilities and is fully wheelchair accessible.
Employment
Applications are from time to time sought from potential tutors on all of our courses including Irish Dance (3rd Level), Irish Music (all instruments, 3rd level), Scottish Country Dance, Highland Dance, History of Irish and Scottish Country/Ulster Scots Dance, Peace & Reconciliation Training, Business with Arts Management Course, Culture and Heritage Studies Course.
Please contact the centre for more details on how to apply.
There are currently no management or administration positions available however we would be happy to receive your cv in case of future opportunities.
Work Experience
The Shaylyn Centre offer work placements to third level students from time to time. We regret the position is unpaid due to lack of extra resources. The placement would be suitable for students of arts, music, dance, marketing or business. Applications can be made at any time by sending your cv and a cover letter to the centre.
Shaylyn is a community voluntary group and company limited by guarantee. We were initially funded by Interreg IIIA and Peace & Reconciliation for two separate cross border projects and this year were awarded new funding from the International Fund for Ireland for a new cross border dance project. We have a significant figure of match funds to raise and hope to sustain the centre beyond the funding period i.e. keep the courses going, add new courses, keep tutors employed and so on. With this in mind we decided to launch a ‘friends of Shaylyn’ facility whereby people can if they wish help to support the centre and what it is trying to achieve. Friends of Shaylyn are listed on our website if they so wish and receive priority invitation to all our events plus free tickets for shows. To become a friend of Shaylyn you can do one or a combination of the following:
- Make a one off or yearly donation at your discretion
- Donate something of value for raffle, sale, exhibition or use
Join Shaylyn The Show
Shaylyn at times have vacancies for the show. If you are an advanced musician, singer or dancer aged 15 to 35 for musicians/singers and 15 to 25 for dancers we would love to hear from you! Shaylyn is not a commercial show however if you are passionate about what you do, love to perform and travel and would like to be part of a lively and talented group of people who can really deliver a great show we want to hear from you! The show is a separate entity to the funded projects at the Shaylyn Centre and is a 100% voluntary and community run enterprise. The show operates on a part time basis so it is possible to combine membership with work, school or college. The show is an excellent opportunity to network, gain valuable performance experience, build confidence, travel, work with dancers/singers/musicians, be a mentor and just perform and have a bit of fun with it ! Shaylyn are not affililiated with any one Irish Dance organisation and welcome applications from dancers from any of the Irish Dance organisations. Contact us today to arrange an audition/meeting or have someone recommend you.
Sponsorship
Shaylyn at times seek sponsors for various events. If your business would like to increase its profile and associate with traditional Irish culture without increasing ad spend contact us today for details! Shaylyn have an impressive track record in public relations and in maintaining a strong media presence on a national basis. As a zeitgeist brand Shaylyn reflect the current intellectual and cultural climate and provide an attractive and valuable sponsorship proposition for the right company. In addition Shaylyn is supported by Gilheaney PR Consulting run by Jane Gilheaney and specialising in cross border, community and creative industries pr. Jane has over 15 years experience in pr.
You can make a donation to The Shaylyn Limited Business Account at AIB, Ballinamore, Co Leitrim. Account number Sort Code 93:70:37 (don’t forget to fill in the narrative section on the lodgement slip so we know who you are!) or alternatively become a Friend of Shaylyn